The Israel Action Network (IAN), a project of the Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the Jewish Council of Public Affairs, is coordinating a North American response to the Palestinian Authority leadership’s decision to pursue a policy that has become known as Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). While the exact course of their actions is not known, it may include seeking full membership or some form of enhanced status in the U.N. during the General Assembly in late September. UDI threatens to undermine the long-standing consensus of reaching a two states for two peoples outcome based on direct bilateral negotiations; instead it uses the UN as a vehicle to isolate and place diplomatic pressure on Israel.

The Rabbinical Assembly, having recently released a resolution on UDI, is partnering with the IAN in this important effort.

Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat, Festivals, and Weekdays incorporated a new Al Ha-nissim prayer, which was modeled on the versions recited at Hanukkah and on Purim into the Amidah and Birkat Ha-mazon. This version was composed by Gershon Hadas, Jules Harlow, and Professor Hillel Bavli.